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PennDOT Completes Test Slide as Commercial Street Prepares to Close for Bridge Swap

Engineers validated heavy‑lift slide procedures for an 850‑foot, 22‑million‑pound span to shorten the planned Parkway East outage.

Overview

  • PennDOT ran multi‑day test slides that began Thursday and stretched into Friday night as crews lifted and shifted the new bridge to verify equipment and alignment.
  • Crews used 42 synchronized hydraulic jacks to lift the prefabricated span during testing and moved it in small increments to monitor alignment and bearing performance.
  • Commercial Street, Forward Avenue and the Nine Mile Run Trail will close at 7 a.m. Monday, June 29, and remain closed through early August while final work proceeds.
  • The Parkway East (I‑376) will be fully closed from July 10 through August 3 so crews can demolish the old bridge and slide the new span into place.
  • PennDOT has posted detour routes, added a live 511 camera and published FAQs, and neighbors say the shutdown will disrupt commutes and access with some planning to work remotely or leave town.